Launched in December 1996, Zvuki.ru claims to be the oldest and most authoritative electrical publication in the musical genre in Eastern Europe. Its goal is to provide thorough information on what?€™s happening in the Russian music scene. The site is determined to keep its considerable archive of music available to all Internet users free of charge.
Like the popular MP3 music data format, Zvuki.ru also supports the Real Audio Player standard. Most earlier methods of acquiring a hard drive full of sounds meant downloading the entire music file before a note of it could be heard. With Real Audio Player, users can utilize "streaming" technology, meaning that as long as your Internet connection speed is fast enough, you can start listening to your chosen song from the moment you begin to download.
Visitors can sift through the large collection of archived songs, articles and photos with either keywords or category selections, with all the results organized alphabetically or chronologically for easy navigation. It?€™s also possible to see popularity tables for all music downloads over the last day, week or month.
Russia has received its fair share of criticism for copyright disregard, but Zvuki.ru is proud of the fact that it is 100 percent legal. All titles in their online music collection are made available only after getting official permission from copyright holders. The team at Zvuki.ru has even taken the time to help others set up their own online music repository without breaking the law, with an answer page dedicated specifically to this topic.
Though the recent Napster trial in the United States and generally hazy horizons in the online music game bode ill, Zvuki.ru?€™s founding policies should keep them clear of bad weather.
A Message from The Moscow Times:
Dear readers,
We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."
These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.
We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.
Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.
By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.
Remind me later.